وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًۢا بَيْنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ 107
Translations
And [there are] those [hypocrites] who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief and division among the believers and as a station for whoever had warred against Allāh and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, "We intended only the best." And Allāh testifies that indeed they are liars.
Transliteration
Wa-alladhīna ittakhadhū masjidan dirāran wa-kufran wa-tafrīqan bayna al-mu'minīn wa-irṣādan li-man ḥāraba Allāh wa-rasūlahu min qabl; wa-la-yaḥlifunna in aradnā illā al-ḥushnā; wa-Allāh yashhad innahum la-kādhībūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the hypocrites who built the Masjid al-Ḍirār (the 'Mosque of Harm') in Medina with the intention of causing division among believers, providing a base for enemies of Allah and His Messenger, and as an alternative to Masjid Qubā'. Classical scholars like Al-Ṭabarī and Ibn Kathīr explain that despite the hypocrites' false oaths claiming good intentions, Allah testifies to their deception. The ayah exposes the reality that outward religious acts done with corrupt intentions are worthless and that Allah is All-Knowing of hidden intentions.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed regarding a specific historical incident in Medina where hypocrites (munāfiqūn) built a mosque ostensibly for worship but actually to rival Masjid Qubā' and provide shelter for those hostile to Islam. This occurred near the end of the Prophet's life and is thematically situated within Surah At-Tawbah's broader discourse on hypocrisy and the conditions of true belief versus outward pretense.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered the demolition of Masjid al-Ḍirār, saying 'I have been commanded to destroy it.' Additionally, various hadiths warn against actions done for show (riyā') and emphasize that Allah judges intentions (niyyah), as found in the famous hadith: 'Actions are by intentions' (al-A'māl bi-al-niyyāt).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that external religious actions devoid of sincere intentions are spiritually hollow, and that Allah's knowledge encompasses all hidden motives—thus Muslims must continually examine their intentions and ensure their actions serve to unite rather than divide the community of believers.